Science Shop Introduction (CUexpo 2008)
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Transcript of Science Shop Introduction (CUexpo 2008)
Science Shops asScience – Society
interfaces
CUexpo, Victoria4 May 2008
An introduction
Norbert Steinhaus and Caspar de Bok
About Science Shops
What ?
Why ?Where ?
How ?
When ?
Are you familiar with these questions ?
A Science Shop provides
independent, participatory
research support
in response to concerns
experienced by civil society
Science Shops seek to• provide civil society with knowledge and skills
through research and education • provide their services on an affordable basis • promote and support public access to and
influence on science and technology • create equitable and supportive partnerships
with civil society organisations • enhance understanding among policy makers
and education and research institutions of the research and education needs of civil society
• enhance the transferrable skills and knowledge students, community representatives and researchers
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art 27(1)(United Nations, 1948)
‘Everyone has the right
freely to participate in the cultural life of the community,
to enjoy the arts and
to share in scientific advancement and its benefits’
70’s Netherlands, USA
80’s Australia, Denmark, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium
90’s Canada, Spain, Romania, Norway, Israel, New Zealand, Malaysia, Czech Rep, South Korea, South Africa
00’s Belgium, France, South Korea
2005 Portugal, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland, Japan, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Turkey, Finland
2006 Hungary, China, Italy, Israel, Czech Republic
2007 South Africa
From the 70’s to 2007
Science Shop - Wetenschapswinkel - Boutique de Science - Videnskabsbutiken - Wissenschaftsladen - Bazar de las Ciencias - InterMediu
University - Society interfaces
Target group Facility/ Interface• General public Lectures, events, press
releases
• Civil society• Small NGOs
Science Shop student projects
• SMEs • NGOs• Local authorities
Transfer bureau
(Science Shop)
• Industry • National authorities
Research departments contracts
Actors and factors
SCIENTIFIC CULTURAL
POLICY-MAKERS
FUNDERS
HOSTS
SUPPLY DEMAND
STAFF
SOCIO-POLITICAL
Science shop models
Universitybased
Non-university based
Funding:• fully university• university/charity/projects
Position:• central/faculty/research dept.
Funding:• CBR projects• other activities• (local) government
Where:
NL, DK, D, UK, B, RO, CA, USA, AU, N, E, GR, F
Where:
D, AT, E, USA, CA, KR, I
Criteria for projects
1. Scientific element
2. Broad public interest
3. Use of results
4. Public results
5. No commercial means
6. No (full) financial means
Clients of Science Shops
• Local community groups
• NGOs (e.g. environment, health, animal welfare, consumers)
• Local/regional authorities
• Trade unions
• Museums
• SMEs
• Schools/pupils
• Individuals (conditional)
Mediation process1. Receive/solicit clients and new questions
2. Map the real problem (articulation)
3. Preliminary research: refuse, refer, advice or formulate (scientific) research question (incl. funds if required)
4. Find (co-)supervisor
5. Find student / researcher
6. Maintain communication and process
7. Facilitate usable presentation / publication of results
8. Support implementation results and follow-up actions
9. Make inventory of follow-up research/themes
10. Evaluation
Science Shop Basics
• Demand driven
• Listening and asking: articulation
• Equal partnerships
• Quality and understanding
• Feedback to science system
Interactive Science Communication
Science Shop impacts
Society
• community access to research
• community awareness of science
• community involvement in policy (empowerment)
• good governance (social capital)
Education
• academic curriculum; problem-based learning
• students awareness science - society
Research
• research themes
• researchers awareness society needs
Some examples of projects
• Cosmetics and environment
• Traffic related air pollution and respiratory health
• Side-effects of pesticides
• Health related risk communication
• Textiles, chemicals and allegies
• Electrosmog
• Ecological constructing
• Environmental impact assessment products
• Animal welfare and animal testing
University mission
3. Service to society
“…and they transfer knowledge on behalf of society” (Dutch Law on Higher Education and Research, art 1.3.1, 1992)
1. Education
2. Research
University based Science Shops
combine all three university missions
A changing (Dutch) context
• A revised focus on knowledge transfer • New funding structures• Integration with SME front office• Stronger faculty links• Less staff, bigger pool of faculty experts• Embedding in curricula